Moving stairway handrail guide



A. E. HANDY ET AL 2,058,379

MOVING STAIRWAY HANDRAIL GUIDE Filed Jan. 23, 1936 A H}INVENTOR5 BY rmura ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 20, 1936 PATENT OFFICE MOVING STAIBWAY HANDRAILGUIDE Arthur Edward Handy, Lynbrook, and Samuel Gustave Margles,BrooklymN. Y., assignors to Otis Elevator Company, New York, N. Y., acorporation of New Jersey Application January 23, 1936, Serial No.60,364

6 Claims.

This invention relates to centering devices for the handrails of movingstairways. In a moving stairway installation, the handrails are looselyguided along their upper and lower runs. Thus considerable lateralmotion of the handrails is permitted.

A balustrade construction in which the balustrade extends into :thehandrail not only along the upper run but also around the newel wheel tothe point where the handrail disappears into the stairway, involvesusing a narrow newel wheel. It is the object of this invention toprovide an arrangement at the newel wheel that will position thehandrail upon the newel wheel in central alignment with the balustradingwhich extends into the handrail at the newel wheel, thus preventingrubbing of the handrail against the sides of the balustrading at thenewel wheel, and which also prevents the handrail being forced from thenewel wheel.

. In carrying out the invention, an aligning or centering block ispositioned inside the handrail adjacent the newel wheel on at. least oneof the runs and preferably on both the upper run and the lower run. Theblocks are close fitting with.

respect to the-inner contour of the handrail and supplement the usualguides in leading the handrail onto and from the newel wheel. The blockfor the upper run of the handrail-is preferably forked and cooperateswith the handrail on each side of the newel wheel up to the tangentpoint of the handrail and the newel wheel. The blocks are positioned tocenter the handrail with respect to the balustrade which extends intothe hand- 35 rail at the newel wheel and act to prevent any appreciablelateral motion of the handrail upon the newel wheel so that wear of thehandrail and balustrade is obviated. Furthermore, this constructionprevents the throwing ad of the hand- 40 rail.

The features'and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthespecification and appended claims.

In the drawing: 45 Figure 1 is a viewinsideelevation of a portion of amoving stairwayembodying the handrail centering; and maintaining meansof the present invention; A

Figure 2 isa section taken along the line 2-2 ofFigurel;

T Figure 3 is asection-taken along the line 3-3 ofFigure Figure 4. is asection taken along the line 4-4 55 ofFigure3;v i v (Cl. 198-I6) railomitted. 5

Referring to Figure 1, the balustrade H of the moving stairway I2 isequipped with a movable handrail M. The upper run of the handrail issupported and guided along the top ofv the balustrade by means of alongitudinally extending 10 guide IS. A newel wheel l6, carries thehandrail around the end of the stairway through a handrail opening 11 inthe balustrade. The newel wheel is rotatably mountedon a newel stand l8positioned inside the balustrade. A longitudi- 15 nally extending guide20 supports and guides the return run of the handrail.

Referring also to Figure 2, the balustrade H comprisesa handrail support2| preferably of extruded metal having smooth surfaces. The verticalspaced sides 22 of support 2| are integral with a horizontal rib 23which joins the sides below the top edges thereof. Guide I5 is mountedupon thetop edges of the sides 22. The handrail is illustrated asC-shaped in cross-section and fits over the guide. The in-turned edges24 of the handrail overlap the sides 22 of the handrail support. Aclearance is provided between each edge 24 of the handrail and itsrespective side 22. Re-

ferring also to Figures 3 and 4, each side 22 is continuous in the samelongitudinal and vertical plane between the edges of the handrail. Thesides 22 extend arcuately around the end of the balustrade and terminateat the handrail opening H. A portion of the circumference of the newelwheel projects throughthe rib 23 of the balus-' 'trade and is positionedcentrally between the sides 22. An equal clearance is provided betweeneach side 22 and. the newel wheel. A clearance is also provided betweenthe end of rib 23 and the 40 periphery of the newel wheel. The straightand smooth balustrade construction as described above eliminates anyfinger pinching hazard between the handrail and the balustrade.

The upper and lower runs of the handrail are guided by the guides l5 and20 respectively, and to reduce friction ample running clearance isprovided between the handrail and the guides. Guide 15 is secured to thetop edges of handrail support 2| as by, a bolt 25 and a nut 26. Thesquare head of the bolt projects into av longitudinally extendingT-shaped slot 21 formed in the guide and the body of the bolt passesthrough an aperture provided in rib 23. The end ofguide v20 is afllxedby a ibolt 28 in a similar manner to iron is secured to the newel standand has a .block 34.

angle iron 30 by means of bolts 43 so that the portion of its horizontalleg cut away to accommodate the periphery of the newel wheel. As theguides I5 and 20 are of identical crosssection, only the guide I5 andits operation will be described.

The guide comprises a pair of top flanges 32 for engaging the under sideof the intermediate portion of the handrail and a pair of laterallyextending flanges 33 for laterally guiding the handrail. Considerableclearance is provided between the laterally extending flanges 33 andtheir respective cooperating portions of the handrail, which permits acertain amount of lateral and vertical movement of the handrail on theguide. The flanges 33 of the guide also prevent the edges 24 of thehandrail fromrubbing against the sides 22 of the balustrade adjacent theguide. I

Referring also to Figures 5 and 6, an upper centering block 34 and alower centering block 35 are provided for the upper and lower runs ofthe handrail respectively. The blocks are positioned inside the handrailnear the points where it runs on and off the newel wheel and act tomaintain the handrail upon'the newel wheel in central alignment with thesides 22 of the balus-' trade, adjacent the newel wheel. Block 34 ismounted on the top edges of the sides 22, adjacent the transition of thehandrail from guide l5 to the newel wheel. angle iron 30, adjacent thetransition of the handrail from guide 20 to the newel wheel.

According to the preferred construction, upper centering block 34 isformed of hardened steel and comprises a short solid portion 36 and aforked end 31. The forked end of the block spans the rim of the newelwheel and extends within the handrail to the point where the handrailcontacts the periphery of the'newel wheel. The solid portion 36 of theblock is of a size and contour to substantially occupy the-space withinthe inner C-shaped walls of the handrail, as illustrated in Figure5. Aslight clearance, say one-sixty-fourth inch, is provided between eachcurved laterally extended side 38 of the block and its respectivecooperating portionof the handrail. The sides of the block are flatlybeveled at 39. A slight clearance, say one-thirty-second inch, isalso'provided between the fiat top surface of the block and the underside of the intermediate portion of the handrail. The contour of theforked end 31 conforms to the contour of the adjacent solid portion 36of the block. The corners of the portion 36 and of the forked end arechamfered as at 40. All the remaining sharp edges of the block arerounded off. The under side of the block is provided with a pair ofiongitudinally extending grooves 4|. The block rests on the top edges ofthe sides 22 with the sides positioned in the grooves. The grooveslocate the block centrally upon the top of the balustrade with respectto the sides 22. The block is clamped to the top of the balustrade bymeans of a bolt 42. The bolt passes through a suitable aperture in rib23 and is threaded into the portion 36 of the block.

The lower centering block 35 is also preferably formed of hardenedsteel. Block 35 is short, having rounded ends and corners, and isidentical in lateral cross-section as the portion 36 of upper Block 35is secured and adjusted on edges of the handrail clear the sides 22 asit is Block 35 is mounted on carried through the handrail opening H. Aspacer 44 is positioned between theblock and the angle iron. Ifdesirable in certain installations, block 35 may be provided with aforked end, which spans the newel wheel and extends within the handrailup to the vertical plane through the axis of the newel wheel. Also, incertain installations it may be desirable to omit the forked endprovided on the upper block 34.

In operation, because of the comparatively short length of the closefitting upper and lower centering blocks, very little friction isdeveloped between the moving handrail and the blocks. The

handrail is positioned on the newel wheel with its in-turned edgesequally disposed on each side of the sides 22 of the balustrade whichextend into the handrail at the newel wheel, by means of the blocks. Thesmall clearance between the blocks and the cooperating inner surfaces ofthe handrail practically eliminates the lateral movement or float of thehandrail upon the newel wheel. This prevents the edges of the handrailfrom rubbing and wearing the. sides 22 of the balustrade which projectinto the handrail on each side of the newel wheel. The close fittingupper and lower blocks also act to prevent the handrail being twisted orforced from the newel wheel.

Although the invention has been described as applied to one end of amoving stairway, it. is to be understood that it may be applied to bothends of the stairway.

What is claimed is:

1. In a moving stairway installation, the combination of a handrail, anewel wheel over which said handrail runs, abalustrade extending intosaid handrail on each side of said newel wheel, and a centering devicesecured in place within said handrail in central alignment with saidextended balustrade for limiting the lateral motion of said handrail.

2. In a moving stairway installation in which a handrail is guided upona loose fitting guide and a newel sheave is provided for carrying saidhandrail around the end of the stairway; a balustrade supporting saidguide and extending around one end of the stairway, said balustradehaving side portions which extend into the handrail on each side of saidsheave with clearance between them and said handrail; a centering deviceclosely fitting within said handrail; and means for securing saidcentering device in place within said handrail adjacent the rim of saidsheave so as to guide the handrail onto the rail from its upper run toits lower run around one end of the stairway; a balustrade having sideportions which extend into the handrail along the upper run of "thestairway and continue around said end of the stairway on each side ofsaid wheel withclearance between them and said handrail; two centeringblocks closely fitting within said handrail; and means for securing saidblocks in place within said handrail, one at the point where thehandrail runs from its upper run onto the newel wheel and the other atthe point where the handrail runs onto its lower run from the newelwheel, to maintain the handrail upon said newel wheel substantiallycentral with 7 respect to said side portions of said balustrade on eachside of said newel wheel.

4. In a moving stairway installation in which a handrail is guided by aloose fitting guide and in which a pulley is provided for carrying saidhandrail around one end of the stairway; a balustrade having sideportions which project into the handrail and continue around said end ofthe sairway on each side of said pulley with a clearance between themand saidhandrail; a block within said handrail for centering saidhandrail upon said balustrade at said end of the stairway, said blockhaving a contour substantially conforming to the inner contour of saidhandrail so as to closely fit within said handrail,

extending from the end of said guide over the pulley and being providedwith a groove for said pulley; and means for securing said block uponsaid balustrade central with respect to. said side portions.

5. In a moving stairway installation in which a C-shaped handrail isguided along one of its' runs by a guide fitting loosely therein and iscarried around an end of the stairway by a newel wheel; a balustradehaving laterally spaced sides which project into the handrail along saidrun and on each side of said newel wheel around said end of thestairway, with clearance between said sides and the edges of saidhandrail; a block within said handrail for guiding said handrail fromsaid run onto said newel wheel, said block fitting closely within saidhandrail, being of a contour substantially conforming to the innercontour of said handrail,-,and having one end forked to receive thenewel wheel, said forked end extending to a point substantially on,the 7rail along said run and also on each side of the rim of said newel wheelaround said end of the stairway, with clearance between said sides andsaid in-turned edges of said handrail; a hardened steel block withinsaid handrail for guiding said handrail from said run onto said newelwheel, said block fitting closely within said handrail, being of acontour substantially conforming to the inner contour of said handrail,extending over said newel wheel to a point substantially on' thevertical centerline of said newel wheel, being forked to span the rim ofsaid newel wheel, and being provided with longitudinally extendinggrooves spaced equidistant from its centerline to receive said sides ofsaid balustrade; and means i for securing said block upon saidbalustrade with said sides in said grooves to center said block withrespect to said balustrade.

ARTHUR EDWARD HANDY. SAMUEL GUSTAVE MARGLES.

